Writing Implements
by KATMegate
Summary: Bad days turned good through sharing writing materials and conversations. A two-shot, featuring 'The Inkwell' and 'The Quill.'


**Writing Implements**

Originally a one-shot, 'The Inkwell,' and its follow-up, 'The Quill,' now rolled into a two-shot format.

Summary: Bad days turned good through sharing writing materials and conversations.

Disclaimer: I don't own the character; they're JK Rowling's. I merely play with them.

**The Inkwell**

Lily Evans was _not_ having a good day.

She had woken up late. Her hair would not co-operate at all – it was falling out of the bun she'd hastily formed on her way out of her dorm. All her robes were wrinkled and half of her socks had holes in them. Of course, missing breakfast hadn't done much for her mood.

Oh, and then she had run out of ink – first class of the day and had just managed to get one measly sentence out of it. Luckily her friends had let her use some of theirs.

But now, now she was in class without them – and sitting by James Potter (of all the rotten luck) who would undoubtedly make some bargain for her to use his ink. _Bad day just turned worse_ it seemed.

Lily had just worked up her nerve to ask him if she could use his ink, when the unthinkable happened – James Potter set his ink between them with a slight smile. No bargains. No "I'll let you use my ink if you go out with me."

She could get used to this. _Maybe it wasn't such a bad day after all_.

Of course, then her quill broke. _Rotten, rotten luck_ – Lily's extra quills were sitting with her extra ink. But as she had just started to curse her luck, James Potter pushed a quill over to her – and continued scribbling away – still no bargains.

Maybe she'd stepped into an alternative universe? Where prats suddenly turned into nice, gentlemanly beings?

_Ha_. Well, a girl can always dream, right?

At the end of class, however, James had corked the ink and pushed it closer to her. Lily tried to hand it and his quill back, but he refused to take them.

"Mine are up in the dorm, I was going back up there during lunch anyway."

"And miss lunch as well as breakfast? Just keep them, Lily, I have spares on me," James said, a note of worry lacing his words.

The idea that James Potter worried about her – and knew she'd missed breakfast – threw Lily and so she said, a little harsher than she meant to, "I _can't_ take your ink, Potter."

"You didn't mind using it during class," he grinned.

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" she cried, flustered. "It's yours, it's barely been used, and –"

"Lily," he cut her off. "Just take it. If it bothers you so much you can give it back to me after classes, or tomorrow, when you have your ink with you. It's just I know that you –" he stopped himself abruptly.

"Oh, no, finish that sentence, please." Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"That you don't like having your notes in various colours of ink and if you just use one pot it'll keep your notes uniform," he finished, his cheeks turning slightly pink.

"How on earth did you know that?" Lily asked. She was utterly floored – she'd never _told_ anyone about that before. Ever.

His blush turned _very_ red and he tried to shrug nonchalantly. "I've just noticed."

"_Just noticed_?" A pause. "You're the same way, aren't you?"

"Well – I – that is …" James stuttered, completely thrown.

They were getting very close to the Entrance Hall – _it was now or never_, she supposed.

"You are," Lily accused, pointing her finger at him. She studied the ink for a moment, "In fact, I think you're worse than I am."

"Sorry?"

"I don't mind if my notes for the entire day are in different colours, just the notes from one period."

"Ah. Well, I don't –"

"But you are very particular about your ink – if I recall an argument you boys had during History of Magic once, correctly – and since we have Arithmancy again after lunch, I'm afraid we'll have to share the ink."

"How – but – you – I –" James swallowed. "Are you sure?"

"I'm afraid so," Lily said with a slight smile. "We've both used it – and I can't change the ink for next period, and you'll be out of sorts over it all day if you don't use it."

"But …" James started, his brow creased in confusion.

"Are you regretting giving me the ink?"

"No! But …" When Lily didn't interrupt he said, "I'm not _that_ particular about it."

Lily smirked. Suddenly it didn't matter that nothing had gone her way all day. For once she had James Potter on the back foot – and that was more than enough to boost her for the rest of the day.

"I know that."

"Then … why'd you say so?"

"To see whether you would catch on; but you're terribly slow on the uptake today. Quite unusual."

"Huh?"

"Think about it. What would happen if we were forced to share an inkwell all day?"

Comprehension slowly dawned on his face. "Oh. _Oh!_"

"Exactly," Lily said with a nod.

They had made it to the Entrance Hall – and the smells coming from the Great Hall made Lily's stomach lurch with hunger. She headed for the doors; James stopped her, however, grabbing her arm.

"But, why are you providing me with an excuse to sit by you all day?"

"I can't spell everything out for you, James," she smiled.

James gaped. "You called me _James_, not _Potter_." Then his eyes narrowed, "Are you feeling well, Lily?"

Lily grinned, shook his hand off her arm. "Much better than this morning, thank you," she said primly, and then made for the door. "Do you still want to share my ink, James?"

She could see him mouthing "_her ink?_" a moment before answering. "Yes."

"I'll save you a spot in class, then," Lily said, winking. Maybe the day wouldn't be so bad after all.

She left James standing in the Entrance Hall for a moment before he followed Lily into the Great Hall. He was fighting down a huge smile (rather unsuccessfully).

James Potter was having a _great_ day.


End file.
